Colleges extend roles in Springfield incubator

The University of Massachusetts Amherst and Springfield Technical Community College announced today that they are taking on leadership roles with the Springfield Incubator, with UMass executive Marla Michel being named director of the incubator and a UMass spinoff moving in as a tenant.

The colleges said they hope to revitalize and reinvigorate the incubator, which previously had two tenants. The incubator is located in the Scibelli Enterprise Center.

"The incubator provides spinoffs a cost-effective option for establishing an office and access to a business advisory board. STCC gets to share the skills of a talented administrator to lead the Incubator, a new pipeline of prospective tenants and more connections with the university. The city of Springfield gets a world-class university partnering with a technical community that fosters new business in the Commonwealth,” said UMass Amherst Chancellor Robert Holub.

Michel, executive director of strategic communications and outreach at UMass Amherst, will take on the additional role of director, a position that has been vacant since autumn. Michel is also a member of Regional Technology Council board and the Pioneer Valley Planning Council's Plan for Progress.